The Terrible Consequences of Ignoring Wisdom

Proverbs 1:20-27

Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,

she raises her voice in the public square;

on top of the wall she cries out,

at the city gate she makes her speech:

“How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?

How long will mockers delight in mockery

and fools hate knowledge?

Repent at my rebuke!

Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,

I will make known to you my teachings.

But since you refuse to listen when I call

and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,

since you disregard all my advice

and do not accept my rebuke,

I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you;

I will mock when calamity overtakes you—

when calamity overtakes you like a storm,

when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,

when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

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Wisdom is not hidden – it is not something secret or difficult to gain. When you live in a community, wherever people gather, wisdom is there - easily available and accessible. There is no excuse for ignorance. Listen to the conversations, read the papers, watch the news, talk to those you respect and trust, read books, search the internet – unless you are blind, deaf or stupid, you cannot help but gain knowledge and develop wisdom (common sense). In fact, when you are doing something foolish or wrong, someone who sees will surely tell you and try to make you see sense!

Yet, fools just keep on doing what is foolish despite warnings and consequences. They mock at good advice, rules and guidelines; they have no respect for them and deliberately go against them, and they do this continually. Despite suffering consequences that should reveal the foolishness of their ways, they disregard the lessons and continue to do wrong. They ignore facts and advice, ridicule those who try to correct them and refuse to change.

If such people only listen to sense and learn from their mistakes, they will gain wisdom, because wisdom is eager to communicate with them. Their lives will immediately take a positive turn as they follow the path of good sense. But since they don’t fear the Lord, they despise wisdom as well as the Lord’s discipline (Proverbs 1:7).

God gives us many chances. He reaches out and invites us to turn to him. But fools reject every such opportunity and ignore his word and the good advice of others. There are terrible consequences to such neglect and rejection of wisdom (God, his Word and good advice based on facts and experience), because a time will come when calamity will overtake such people. Then wisdom will mock at them: “I told you so, but you wouldn’t listen! Since you made your own bed, now you must lie in it!” Like an overwhelming flood distress, trouble and calamity will sweep over them as a result of their own foolishness; and there will be no escape or relief from their suffering.

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